Combined vehicle-hub and shock-absorber.



G. L. KENNEDY.

COMBINED VEHICLE HUB AND SHOCK ABSORBER.

urmcuxon FILED MAR. 27, 1912.

1,041,097. 7 Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

Elwuwtoc C. L. KENNEDY.

' COMBINED VEHICLE HUB AND SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 27, 1912.

1,041,097. Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mm i

CH'AR'LES 'L'. KENNEDY, OF WINNIPEG, CANADA.

COMBINED VEHIOLE HUB AND SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of ,Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 15,1912.

Application filedMarch 2'7. 1912. Serial No. 686,600.

flfocll whom it may concern;

Be itknown that I, CHARLES L. KENNEDY,

a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Winnipeg, Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedVehicle-Hubs and Shock-Absorbers, of which the following is aspecification. My invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in combined vehicle hubs and shock absorbers, and theobject of my invention isto produce a device of this characterparticularly adapted for use in connection with automobiles, motortrucks and the like, which shall be simple and very strong inconstruction, eflicient in operation and fully capable of withstandingthe shocks and jars incident to its operation and use.

A further object of my invention is to produce av mounting for the hubwhich will act as a shock absorber, so that shocks and strains will notbe transmitted to the frame of the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to produce a hub of this characterwhich shall be of the stub-axle type, and one in which the center ofoscillation of the axle for the purpose of steering will be in the planeof the tread of the wheel and pass through the point of contact.

with these and other objects in view my invention consists in certainconstructions,

, combinations and arrangements of parts the preferred form of whichwill be first described in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings,and then the invention particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein the same reference numeral is used todesignate the same part wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a side elevationof a wheel constructed in accordance with my inventlon, with the axlethereof in section; Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2, 2 of Fig. 1 andFig. 3 is a section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 1, drawn on an enlarged scale.

5 designates an axle having its ends formed into a yoke 6, the arms ofwhich terminate in bored bosses 9, 10. The bore of each of these bossesis preferably provided with a lining'll of any desired bearingformingmetal.

12 designates the stub axle which preferably, and as shown, extends fromthe center of a circular plate formed with an'outer ring 13, an innerring 1 1 connected by the flat portion 15 with the stub axle. 12extending from the middle of the central portion 16. By thisconstruction there is provided an annular depression opening. in onedirection, a central depression opening in the opposite direction withthe stub extending from the middle of the central depression.

17 17 indicate a pair of bolts which extend through the side of the ring13 across the annular depression and are threaded into the side of thering 14, passing through the bore of the bosses 9 and 10 respectively,so that the plate is capable of vertical movement in relation to theaxle 5. Interposed between the boss 9 and the side of the ring let is aspiral spring 18, and interposed between the boss 10 and the inner sideof the ring 13 is a second spiral spring 19, whereby the 'parts areyieldingly held in the position best shown in Fig. 3, but when a pressure is applied to the stub axle 12 suflicient to overcome the tensionof the springs the plate may move upwardly, compressing the springs, forthe purpose of 'absorbii ig the shock. Preferably, and as shown, Iinsert a washer 20 formed of leather or the like between the boss 9 andthe inner face of the ring 13, and a similar washer 21 between the boss10 and'the outer face of the ring 14 to prevent jar and noise when the s)rings are permitted to return the parts to the position shown in Fig.3.

22 designates the hub proper of the wheel, which extends into thecentral depression in the plate and surrounds the stub axle. For thesake of illustration I have shown roller bearings 23 interposed betweenthe hub and the stub axle with the bearing rings 24 mounted on the stubaxle. I have also shown the hub as being held on the axle by means ofthe nut 25, the bearing and nut being protected from dust by a dust cap26 threaded into the outer end of the bore of the hub.

The outer end of the hub is formed with a circular disk 27 extendingtherefrom, which disk at its periphery is formed with a flange 28 whichextends around the outer ring 13 of the stub axle carrying plateconcentric therewith and slightly spaced therefrom. In order to preventdust entering into the space between the rin 13 and the flange 28 I haveshown the rlng as being provided with an annular projecting ring 29formed of felt, or similar material,which contacts with the innersurface of the flange 28.

For the sake of illustration I have shown the opposite sides of theflange 28 as provided with the outwardly extending spokereceivingflanges 30, into which one end of the spokes 31 are secured, thespokes-carrying at their outer end the tire rim 32 on 3 which a tire 33is mounted. The particular construction of the wheel rim and entirewheel however form no part of my invention and are shown merely for, thepurpose of. illustrating a complete wheel.

It will be noted that the stub axle and consequently the wheel turn uponthe b'olts 17 in the bosses 9 and 10, and it isalso to be noted that theaxis of oscillation passes through the point of contact of the tread ofthe wheel as will be seen from Fig. 1. The stub axle therefore,'carryinthe wheel, may be turned for the purpose 0 steering by the minimumpower. In order to illustrate the steering means I have shown in Fig. 2a bolt passing through the ring 13 and threaded intothe ring 14 on oneside of the stub axle and in the horizontal planecof said axle,

, J ournaled on the bolt 30is a sleeve 31 from which projects a boss 32,to'which is pivoted, by means of a vertical pivot 33, the-end of athreaded sleeve 34 to which may be connected one end of a rod 35, theother end of the rod being connected with thesteering mech-' anism. Itis to be notedthat the pivot 33 is at right angles to the bolt 30 andconse quently a universal joint is effected between the steering rod andthe axle carrying disk.

fore do not intend to limit myself to the spe cific form shown anddescribed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a combined hub and shock absorber, the combination with an axle,of a pair of spaced bosses carried by the ends of the axle,

,a circular plate formed with an annular de:

pression opening in one direction into which the bosses extend, andacentral depression openin in the opposite direction, a stub axleextending from the center of the central de pression, a pair of boltsconnecting the opposite sides of the annular depression and passingthrough the bosses, a pair of springs, one surrounding each bolt, andinterposed between one side of the boss and one side of the'annulardepression and .a

wheel hub mounted on the stub axle.

. 2. In a combined hub and shock absorber,

the combination with an axle, of a pair of spaced bosses carried by theends of the axle,

a circular plate formed with anannular de-,

pression opening in one direction into which the bosses extend, and acentral depression 1 one sideof the annular depression, and a.

hub mounted on the stub axle and entering the central depression, acircular extension of the hub surrounding the periphery of said circularplate, a tread surface supported by the hub with'the plane of the treadin line with the centers of said bolts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature I in presence of twowitnesses.

oHARt s L. KENNEDY.

Witnesses:

C. W. KENNEDY, THos'. D. RoB NsoN.

